Republican terrorists ‘planning Tory conference bomb threat’

A Tory MP has warned of a bomb threat by Irish republican terrorist groups, who are reportedly planning to attack the Conservative Party conference in October,

Patrick Mercer , who is widely regarded as an expert on counter-terrorism and security, said he had been warned that dissident republicans would target the event in Birmingham.

Terrorists are planning an attack on the Tory conference (PA)

He told the Observer the information had come from ex-members of army intelligence and former senior police officers, and insisted the threat should be taken seriously.

There have been a series of bomb attacks attributed to dissident republican groups keen to derail the peace process in Northern Ireland in recent months, and politicians and the security services are known to be concerned about the rising level of terrorist activity.

Mr Mercer said the republican splinter groups plan to build up their campaign of terror in the next few weeks in preparation for a possible attack on the conference.

“There are doubts over whether they have the capability, but the aspiration is certainly there and West Midlands Police would be crazy not to take the threat seriously,” he said.

Owen Paterson, the Northern Ireland secretary, said the government is aware of the situation, while West Midlands Police said its counter-terrorism unit is assessing the potential threat level ahead of the conference.

The 1984 Conservative Party conference in Brighton was targeted by the Provisional IRA and five people were killed by a bomb at the Grand Hotel, where most of the cabinet were staying.